


emotional support puppy

by Goldia



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Cheetah hybrid Mark Lee (NCT), Fluff, Human Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Hurt/Comfort, Hybrids, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:54:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25171204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goldia/pseuds/Goldia
Summary: Mark just wants to spend his days together with Lee Donghyuck, his emotional support puppy.Or in other words, Mark just wants to cuddle and love Donghyuck.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 5
Kudos: 104





	emotional support puppy

**Author's Note:**

> first off, thank you too Ann ( [twt](https://twitter.com/purpleemango?s=09%22) ) for looking over this and helping me out.
> 
> second, this is a little personal thing I wrote while not being the best. At the begin it was just a little thing I wanted to only be 2k because I wanted to get away from all those big things I'm planning to write. It drifted off into something more personal then and now we have this :) I'm kinda happy with it tho. This is the only thing I wrote in months so yeah...kinda proud for finishing this hahaha
> 
> Anyway, hope you will enjoy it !!

Every day Mark waits for Donghyuck to walk through that door. He always waits in the lobby. Mark knows Donghyuck's work hours start at 9am but he still likes to wait. He likes to watch the new hybrids come in with their family. Sometimes Jungwoo would sit down next to him and just talk.

Jungwoo was a worker at the hybrid center. Mark knew he was one of those workers who only takes care of the hybrids who stay here. Some only stay for one or two nights before they can get back to their family or because they don't feel safe being here. Others stay here till they get adopted, like Mark. Most of them are getting found on the streets. Sometimes it happens that hybrids get sold and Taeil, the owner, will try to get hybrids from there before they get into the hands of human who only want to own them and treat them like objects. He can’t help everyone though and it already happened that Mark saw Taeil really down because of that.

Mark has already been here for two years and he can't imagine leaving to stay with a family. He likes being here. Everyone he likes is here. Especially Donghyuck, he can't imagine being separated from him.

Jungwoo got called to help Doyoung calm a hybrid down. Doyoung was a vet working here. He sometimes has a small problem with calming nervous hybrids down and Jungwoo had a really soothing voice. Jungwoo once told Mark that Doyoung just has a crush on him and that's why he always calls for him. Mark believes that. Donghyuck once told him the same thing. Mark remembers telling Donghyuck on that day that he has a crush on him. Donghyuck just looked at him. It looked, to Mark, like Donghyuck wanted to say something but just didn’t. After that they never talked about it again.

When the door opened, Mark sat up right away. He was waiting for Donghyuck to hang his jacket up and finally turn to him, and when he did, he did what he always did. Donghyuck spread his arms for Mark when he turned around and Mark jumped up for a hug right away. Mark came at him with such a power that it was close to Donghyuck falling. Mark didn't want to let go yet, so Donghyuck just let him be in his arms. Donghyuck knew why Mark was doing that and he was okay with it. He loves hugging Mark.

Since Mark had gotten to the center they always tried to make him familiar to the puppies that stay there. Cheetah often get an emotional support puppy and Mark really needed one because he is a cheetah with a higher anxiety level that usual. But he didn't like any of the puppy's in that way. He rather stayed with Donghyuck. Mark claimed Donghyuck as his emotional support puppy without really realizing it. He just spend most of his time with him because they are so close to the age and now he just feels comfortable and familiar with Donghyuck. Since then Mark isn't that shy anymore and got some good social skills, even though he sometimes still ends up just being overwhelmed with social interactions.

"Are you two finished?"

They both turned their head to the person who said that. Taeil was standing there. 

"Hyuck has to get to work now, Mark", he said. 

Slowly, Mark backed off from Donghyuck. He really didn't want to but he couldn’t not let get Dongyhuck to work. He knows today is going to be a busy day for Donghyuck so he can't follow him around. Taeil just picked up two new hybrids from the streets on his way to work and there was a lot to do to get them ready to stay here. Mark saw the two come in earlier with Taeil. If Mark was right, the two were young and named Chenle and Jisung. He wanted to get to know them right away but Taeil told him to not get too close because they weren’t sure if they have diseases or not yet. Mark was really excited to meet them but he still has to wait for that. At least he got to scent Donghyuck while hugging him though.

Mark was spending some time with the other hybrids while Donghyuck was busy. He mostly spends his time with Lucas, a golden retriever hybrid. They are around the same age and when Mark is with Lucas he just laughs so much his stomach starts to hurt every time. If Lucas wouldn't have come here after Mark already meet Donghyuck, he would probably be his support puppy. Mark doesn’t really know how Lucas ended up here. He can only imagine what happened to him though. That’s why Mark doesn’t want to ask. He knows that those memories aren’t some you want to remember. When the door to Lucas’ room opened they both went quiet.

"Markie! You want to come eat with me?"

"Yes!"

Mark's eyes started to shine when he saw Donghyuck. He jumped up from his chair so fast that he scared Lucas. It made Donghyuck giggle a little. Mark was sure he just saw Lucas roll his eyes to the back of his head. Everyone knew how Mark got when it came to Donghyuck. Some said it was just because Donghyuck was his emotional support puppy but Lucas was sure that it was because Mark has a big crush on him. Lucas actually can't believe some people don't notice that. Mark once even asked him to adopt him but Donghyuck told him that it wasn’t possible so he never asked again.

“Do you want to eat with us Lucas?”

He shook his head. Mark was thankful for that. He couldn’t wait to spend some time alone with Donghyuck. Donghyuck pouted a bit, but accepted that Lucas didn’t want to eat with them. He reached his hand out for Mark to grab it. Mark grabbed Donghyuck’s hand as fast as he can run. Donghyuck was used to Mark moving that fast but it sometimes still scares him, like right now. Before walking off Donghyuck asked Mark what he wanted to eat, linking their fingers together. Before Mark could answer he already knew the answer, “Meat right?” Mark nodded right away.

Donghyuck already knew where they are going to eat. He knows Mark’s favourite place. It’s only 5 minutes away from the hybrid center and they really make the best burger and french fries in town. Mark would eat anything that includes meat. He mostly eats meat but when he is with Donghyuck he tries to eat other things too. He still is a cheetah.

After getting their food, they sat down on a bench in the park near the center. Mark was eating his burger. He was trying hard to not be messy while doing it, because he knew he could get messy while eating and he didn’t want to embarrass Donghyuck in public. “So Taeil and I talked about your stay in the center an-” Mark cut him off. He looked at Donghyuck with his big round eyes. 

“I don’t wanna leave the center”, he said, mouth full with food. 

“We don’t talk with a full mouth, Mark.”

There was a quiet ‘sorry’ heard from Mark. “Just listen, okay?”, Donghyuck knew Mark wouldn’t want to but he kept talking. “There is a really nice family, which would like to adopt you. They already have a bunny and cat hybrid and would really like you to be a new family member. They will visit us tomorrow to get to know you.”

“I don’t want to leave the center!” Mark’s voice got a little louder than usually, which made the people around them look at them.

“I know, honey. But you are one of our oldest at the center and you know, we don’t have that many rooms anymore. You’re slowly getting into a age people will stop wanting to adopt you. We just want you to find a nice home.”

“But I don’t want to! Why do I have to leave for a family? Can’t I stay with you?”

“I already told you Markie, I don’t have space. I have a mini apartment.”

“B-but I really don’t need much space.”

“Just talk to them tomorrow and then we will see, okay?”

“But-”

“Please…”

Mark really didn’t like this. He didn’t want to be adopted by a family. He would much more prefer Donghyuck. Mark knew, as soon as he would let himself get adopted, he wouldn’t get to see Donghyuck anymore because the center had a policy in which only Taeil went to check how the hybrids did at their new home. It was to prevent the hybrids from feeling homesick. Even seeing only Taeil would make Mark feel homesick. This is his home. The center has been his home for two years already. He doesn’t want to leave. Mark knows that he has to leave one day but not now, not to a family he doesn’t know, not to someone that isn’t Donghyuck. Everyone here knows how attached he is to Donghyuck, that he is his support puppy. You can’t pull a cheetah away from their emotional support. They know how anxious Mark gets without him. He didn’t understand why they want to take him away from him.

The family was really interested in Mark. Their bunny and cat hybrid have a similar history to Mark. They want to help him too. Even though Mark was really shy and didn’t talk much they were still really friendly. He liked them. They are a married pair that can’t get children so they adopt hybrids to give them a future.

Mark thinks that giving hybrids a future is a far imagination. Hybrids don’t go to school. The only place they can get education is at the hybrid center. Most people don’t even educate their hybrids at home because for them they are just like something to show off. Mark knows of some hybrids that got bought when they were little but kicked out as soon as they got older because humans just didn’t see them as cute anymore. Mark always gets grossed out thinking about all this. It makes him anxious. He doesn’t want to think about all of this. He doesn’t want to think about anything that comes close to his memories.

When Taeil puts his hand on Mark’s shoulder, he knows the talk is over. The older one of the two men let his gaze travel from Taeil to Mark to give him his last words. “Jaehyun and I would really like you in our family. I know, you don’t want to leave your support behind, but our doors are always open for you, if you decide you want to leave”, Johnny said softly. He stood up, while Jaehyun was already leaving with their two hybrids - sons -, to have a last talk with Taeil. They walked outside the room to talk there. Mark’s ears tried to pick up what they are talking about but his head is filled with so many thoughts. He can’t concentrate on the voices so he just gave up. His head is too full.

It was nice for Johnny to say that. Mark really likes them and their sons, Jaemin and Renjun. If it wouldn’t be for Donghyuck he would probably accept it, but, because it’s Donghyuck, he can’t. Mark knows the separation from Donghyuck will make him really anxious and only thinking about it already does. Sometimes Mark really wishes he found a support puppy in one of the dog hybrids. He knows Johnny and Jaehyun think about adopting Lucas too, they told him, and Mark is thinking if maybe Lucas is enough support for him. Lucas is like a second support puppy so it should work, right?

The door opened and Mark turned his head to it right away. Taeil walked over and sat down next to Mark and softly smiled at him. “What do you think about them?”, he asked. 

“They are nice”, Mark just mumbled.

“They’re having a talk with Lucas right now. They are probably going to adopt him. I know you prefer Donghyuck, but maybe Lucas is okay too.”

“I-i don’t know.”

“You still have time to decide Mark. Johnny is a good friend of mine and I know you’ll be in good hands there.”

Taeil looked at Mark but Mark just tried to escape his eyes and didn’t say anything.

“Johnny and I thought that if Lucas wants to go with them, you can spend a week there and see how it goes. If you like it we can add two weeks more.”

Mark is quiet for some seconds. “My room is going to stay my room while I’m gone?”, he asks then.

“Yes, and no one will be mad if you decide to come back. It’s just about trying it out. You can still think about it.”

“...if Lucas goes, I want to try.”

Mark didn’t think much about it. Donghyuck once told him it’s all about being spontaneous in life and just letting things come at you. Taeil gave him a soft smile.

Lucas and Mark arrived at the house together. Taeil and Jungwoo dropped them off. They stayed there a little longer to help the hybrids get a little comfortable there, mostly Mark. Mark never stood in a house this big. He knows Johnny and Jaehyun earn good money. Jaehyun is a lawyer and Johnny a well-known photographer. They asked Lucas and Mark if they wanted a separate room but they decided for one room for now. It wasn’t sure if Mark would end up staying there, so they can just share a room for now. Lucas spend his nights most of the time in Mark’s rooms in the hybrid center anyway, so they are comfortable like this and it’s probably the best for Mark at the moment.

When the time to go to sleep came around, Mark’s anxiety slowly crawled up to him. Everything that stayed behind that day just started getting into his head. So much not even Lucas’ presence calmed him down. Mark was laying in bed, his feet moving nervously from left to right. He turned his head to Lucas’ bed.

“Lucas?”

“Mhm?”

“Can we cuddle?”

Lucas turned around to face Mark’s bed and lifted one arm up. Mark left his bed right away to walk over to Lucas and join him under the blanket and cuddle. It really helped Mark calm down. His head wasn’t overflowing anymore and he was just concentrating on Lucas’ heartbeat. He was thankful for not being here by himself. 

In the morning both got woken up by the hyperactive bunny hybrid jumping on the bed. Lucas just put his arm around Jaemin and trapped him inside the bed with him and Mark. “Breakfast is ready”, Jaemin said but no one moved, “I guess we can sleep a little longer.” It’s not like Jaemin wasn’t tired, he really is, but Jaemin had the feeling that he always had to run around and him drinking so much coffee doesn’t help. Mark stretched a little before he put his arm around Jaemin too. Jaemin moved so much that neither Mark or Lucas could feel asleep. He is still a bunny that just can’t sit still. Mark sighs when someone called them from downstairs. “We should get up...I guess”, Mark mumbled.

The breakfast was okay but Mark had to hold onto Lucas’ shirt most of the time. He used it to calm himself down, like the rest of the week. With every day passing Mark got more and more anxious. Lucas eased him a little, but it didn’t do much sadly. Mark actually enjoyed the week but this anxious feeling always crawled up to him. One night Jaehyun had to make him a calming tea. 

“You don’t have to stay here for the whole week, Mark.”

“I know...but I like it here.”

Jaehyun smiled at him. His smile was warm, which made Mark relax a little more. “I just”, Mark mumbled, “don’t know if Lucas will replace him. He is doing a good job but it’s strange having a different support puppy. I probably just have to get used to it but...it’s strange...I don’t like this.” Mark slumped a little in his chair.

“If you want to, we can call Donghyuck and ask him if he want to come over.”

“No no, I think, it’s better like this. I want to try two more weeks.”

Mark thought he might just need some more time. He maybe just need to get used to Lucas. He felt safe with Lucas, he has a calming effect on him, but not as much as Donghyuck. It might be just because he has a crush on Donghyuck. Jaehyun smiled at Mark. He told him once again, that he can always go back if he wants to. Mark just gave him a little unsure smiled and finished his calming tea, feeling a little more worked up about things. He is scared about how he will feel in those two weeks. Mark really wants to try though. It is important that he tries, but if it only gets worse, he’ll go back to the hybrid center. He doesn’t stop things before the three weeks though. He doesn't want anyone to be dissapointed in him.

Two weeks passed faster than Mark thought. He feels a little stupid because at daytime he is calm and not even that shy anymore, he feels more comfortable with them, but at nighttime all those feelings and thoughts crawl up from under his bed and eat him alive. The last week Mark spend sleeping in Lucas’ bed. 

“Are you going to leave?”, Lucas asked one night, his arm around Mark like usual. He knew that calmed Mark down and gave him a feeling of safety. Mark didn’t knew what he should answer. He didn’t want to leave but at the same time he did. Things were just confusing for him at the moment. He didn’t want to leave Lucas - he is like a brother for him - but at the same time he wasn’t sure anymore if staying is the best decision.

“...are you coming to visit us?”

“Yeah.”

On his last day, when Mark was sitting outside on the porch just relaxing, Renjun came out and just sat down next to him. Mark looked over to him and watched the other cat hybrid pull out all his acrylic colors and spread them on his big mixing pallet. Mark stopped looking when Renjun turned his head his way. He didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. He knew that Renjun didn’t like it when someone watched him paint or draw. “Dad told us you’re going to leave tomorrow”, Renjun said after a while. 

“Ehh...yeah...I just...yeah…”

“I’m going to miss your awkward ass.”

“I’m not awkward!”

“You pretty are, Markie boy.”

Renjun let out a little laugh.

“No for real, I’m going to miss you. You better come visit or I’ll find out where you live.”

“I’m moving back to the hybrid center. You can just ask Dad and Appa where it is.”

“Oh, I thought you’re moving in with a new family…”

“Why should I give you guys away for a new family?”

“Maybe because they don’t make you feel anxious all the time. I mean, that’s why you leaving, right?”

“Yeah…I’m sorry about that.”

“Stop always saying sorry”, Renjun sighs, “Just visit and call us.” Mark didn’t say more and it went quiet between them. He only spend three weeks with them and they still made him feel like he is a family member. He feels so shitty for always being this anxious. He just gets really nervous without his emotional support puppy. Lucas was a good replacement but he couldn’t replace Donghyuck. Mark got to call Donghyuck sometime, not that often, but it was enough to always make him realize how he feels without him. Those days were worse than the others. It makes him feel like he didn’t appreciate all this. He did. He loved it here and really enjoyed it but he can’t do this on a long run. Mark just feels bad about this. In every aspect. He feels like he just wasted people's time. Sometimes he feels like he is not worth all this time people give him. People should just leavehim behind. Especially that day, they had to drive to the hospital, because things just made Mark so anxious and set him into a panic that the humans there had to give him a sedative. After that Mark couldn’t stop saying sorry for days and it just made him even more anxious, even though Johnny and Jaehyun assured him it wasn’t a problem and nothing to say sorry about.

Mark is really thankful for Johnny and Jaehyun. They were so patient with him. When Mark asked to sleep in their bed, because he didn’t want to annoy Lucas with sleeping in his bed all the time, they let him and even cuddled with him all night. Or that time Jaehyun made Mark a calming tea at two am because Mark was too anxious to sleep and he was working on a case anyway. Or when Johnny tried to teach him and Lucas how to cook and they ended up setting a fire in the kitchen. Renjun just watched the fire while Jaemin was panicking and Johnny put the fire out. Mark still remembers Johnny saying:”Don’t tell appa.” He remembers when they went to the beach and he got so scared of the ocean that Jaehyun sat next to him in the sand all day. They build a sandcastle together. It was the first sandcastle Mark build. Johnny took some photos of that day and got them printed and already framed. Johnny actually took a lot of photos in those three weeks. He knew Jaehyun and Johnny made something for him as a goodbye because he is leaving their nest, like they liked to say. Mark was really hoping it would include some photos.

Renjun ripped the page he was painting on out of his sketchbook. He gave Mark the painting without saying anything. Mark looked so confused at him that he said something. “So you don’t forget the garden”, he explained. Mark took a closer look at it. He was sure that Renjun is going to be a famous artist one day. He was so good at this. “Can you write your name and date on it?”, Mark asked while giving it back to Renjun. Renjun wrote his full name and the date in neat handwriting on the back and gave it back to Mark then. 

“Thank you, I really like it…”

Before Mark could go to bed that day, Jaemin wanted to give him something. He grabbed Mark by his hand and guided him to his room. “I’m not good at anything like Renjun, so I can’t make anything for you, but I thought you might want to take Nana with you”, Jaemin mumbled while pulling something out of his closet. Mark took the bunny plushie smiling. He still remembers when Jaemin borrowed him Nana in the hopes of Mark finding an easier way to fall asleep. Mark never really had a plushie so when Jaemin pressed him Nana into the hands he was unsure about it, but in the end it worked. “It’s a little funny that you both are Nana and bunnies”, Mark said. He pressed plushie Nana against his chest. 

“I know! I named him before Dad gave me that nickname and now we both are Nana!”

“Guess I have my own personal Nana now.”

It made Jaemin giggle. “I didn’t cuddle with him since you had him. His magic should still be there.”

“I think, you’re energy was what set his magic free. Can you keep him in your bed today so we can make sure his magic will still works?”

Jaemin nodded right away and took Nana when Mark gave him to him. “I’m going to miss you”, Jaemin muttered pouting. It made Mark let out a little laugh. It was so absurd to him that they are going to miss him. They only spend three weeks together and soon he will only be a memory to him. Deep inside he knows that isn’t true. He learned to love them and they learned to love him. He is going to miss them too. “You better don’t cry tomorrow”, Mark warned Jaemin.

“You know me, I will cry.”

In the morning they had their last breakfast together. Mark always made sure, that they knew it wasn’t the last time they will see. He was sure that he still will spend time with them, he really wants to spend time with them. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to stay here overnight, but he was ready to try it and maybe one day he will be able to spend a night not close to Donghyuck without feeling anxious and helpless.

Taeil came to pick Mark up. Before they left Taeil checked on Lucas again and had a private conversation with Jaehyun and Johnny. When it was time to leave, Jaemin cried, like he said he would. Mark gave him a big hug to stop his crying a little. Renjun just rolled his eyes at crying Jaemin but still gave him his hand to hold. It was a short goodbye in which Mark assured once again, that they won’t get rid of him. He doesn’t tell them but he wants to call them at least once a week.

Mark waved when they drove away. He looked outside of the window till he wasn’t able to see the house anymore. Just then he notice that they were driving into the complet different way. He remembered the way when they drove to the house the first time. Mark doesn’t know why he remembered that, he just did. Mark actually remembers a lot of things he won’t really use. Jungwoo once told him, he just has a brain that likes to remember useless information. Mark turned his head to look at Taeil. “Where are we driving?”, he asked. Taeil started smiling. “I’ll drop you off at Hyuck’s place.” Mark starts shaking a little in his seat. He was so excited. He couldn’t wait to see Donghyuck again. Taeil dropping Mark at Donghyuck’s place can only mean one thing and when Mark realized it, he started getting even more excited.

When they arrived Donghyuck was already waiting for them. Mark was starting to shake a little more in his seat when he saw him. When he wanted to grab the car door handle he noticed how much his hand was trembling. Mark took a deep breath before leaving the car. He was ready to tackle Donghyuck down as soon as he left the car, but he didn’t. He tried to stay calm. Taeil and Donghyuck looked a little confused at him because they thought he was going to do exactly that. Taeil gave Mark his bag. He put his hand on Mark’s shoulder. “Do you want me to come upstairs with you guys or do you feel safe enough?”, Taeil asked, already knowing that he doesn’t need to even ask that. He knows the answer. “Taeil, you know I’m a trustworthy person”, Donghyuck said. Taeil looked suspiciously at Donghyuck. He turned Mark to look at him and put his other hand on Mark’s shoulder too. “Are you sure, you don’t want me to come upstairs?”, Taeil asked to make sure. Mark smiled at him and nodded.

“You don’t trust me? I work for you!”

“...right, might have to change that.”

Donghyuck pounts. Taeil rolled his eyes and said:”I won’t fire you, Hyuck.” He let go off Mark.

“Okay, when anything happens call me and don’t forget to bring him with you tomorrow. They all want to see him.”

Donghyuck was right when he said his apartment was small. It had two small rooms, a small kitchen and a really small bathroom that still somehow fit a bathtub inside. Mark always gets a little confused, when he sees bathtubs that are showers at the same time. He doesn’t understand why you would get a bathtub when you can have a shower. He really doesn’t understand why anyone would like to sit in water. Nothing really fit together in the living room but somehow it still worked. Mark really didn’t understand how Donghyuck did get blue and orange to work together? Not only that, the living room even included a little bit of purple. Mark thinks it might fit together because it’s mostly blue and the other colors are more like highlights. 

“Sorry, it’s really messy”, Donghyuck mumbled while walking into the living room. Mark threw his bag somewhere before tackling Donghyuck down on the couch. Donghyuck let out a little yelp before he started laughing. “I waited for this”, he murmured. Mark trapped him inside a big hug. Donghyuck freed one of his hands so he could put that one on Mark’s head and play with his hair.

This was what Mark really needed. It made him feel like all those feeling fell off his shoulders. He felt so light. All this anxiety left him alone for this moment. The only thing he felt was Donghyuck’s warm body against his. He was so happy being back in his arms. Those three weeks all hewanted to do was hug Donghyuck. He missed his hugs. Mark can’t explain it, but Donghyuck’s hugs are somehow healing. He felt safe. His anxiousness won’t be this present anymore. Mark was sure that he never wanted to leave Donghyuck again for such a long time. He was sure, at the end of the day, Donghyuck’s warm embrace was something that could help him a lot with all the feelings inside him.


End file.
